I have a Sony VAIO laptop where I have windows 8 installed. Recently I installed Linux mint Cinnamon edition in my laptop side by side with Windows 8. The wireless was working fine until when I connected my laptop to ethernet cable and switched off the wireless using Wireless OFF button in the bottom right side of taskbar. Since then the Wireless doesnot become ON again, the manual switch in my laptop turns on/off bluetooth but not the WiFi. I booted up windows 8 and the wireless still shows off in it. I tried installing all updates for LinuxMint but wireless doesnot still work.. I tried sudo ifconfig wlan0 on.. doesnot work.. Rest I dont know what to do.I found a temporary solution though.. wireless works in windows 8 when I take out the battery and put it in again, but as soon as I boot with Linuxmint same problem occurs.

I really need to work on Linux right now, so I need this error to fix.. HELP

[NOTE: My Wireless adapter is Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter.]Thank you if you can find me a fix!

I am not an expert, but I had a similar problem with a VAIO. In Linux, turning off the WIFI, then turning it back on results in a soft block. It may also be a bios setting. Apparently, almost all bios settings have to be set through the Sony Control Center (or whatever it is called) in Windows. Try to find if it is turned off there. I had to turn the touch pad on in Windows VAIO Control Center before it would work in Linux.

1. In Windows try turning the wifi on with the control center. You might also try restoring the default setting in the bios settings.2. In Linux try running the command: sudo rfkill unblock all